Executive Board Update – August 2017

Greetings CAPED Colleagues,

Executive Board August 2017

The fall semester is already upon us. Needless to say, although I am no longer on a campus (having retired in June), I feel the excitement and remember the first hectic weeks! It is a new beginning for some of our students, especially those just joining us from high school, and a continuing journey for many others. You all are an essential part of their successes and their pathways to graduation, transfer, or jobs. Staying strong (and patient) is what you do so well for our DSPS students. As your jobs unfold and usually increase during the semester with challenges and responsibilities, know that CAPED is here to support you (as is the DSPS listserve).

CAPED continues our mentoring program. It was well received last year and considered worthy of continuation for funding by the Chancellor’s Office. We look forward to Lucinda Aborn’s ongoing outstanding leadership with the very competent support of Kim Letendre (CAPED’s Executive Assistant). There will be new and continuing mentors, and new protégés, with more trainings and campus visits.

Due to the success of the Spring Regional Workshop at Cerritos College last year, we will hold another Spring Regional Workshop in 2018 in northern California. Additionally, our goal is to encourage our CIGs to increase training venues (maybe link with your Region meetings?) and provide further leadership and support to the field.

Chad Bowman, our venerable President-Elect, led the CAPED Executive Board and Officers’ Council in our bi-annual Summer Advance. He inspired us to consider CAPED’s biggest challenges, to re-envision CAPED, and consider how our membership is supported and involved in our operation. The result will be a survey to all members, to participate in developing our “new” vision and our short term goals. We all know that it is the members who make CAPED, so how do we entice you to join us as board and council members?

We have three positions opening, which will give you all an opportunity to be a part of our exciting new vision (whatever that may be!). The positions of Treasurer (we will miss Bree Kennedy who has led us in our financial solvency but is ready to provide the opportunity to other CAPED members), VP of CIGs (hoping Jenny Nominni will consider keeping her hat in the ring as we welcome others interested in this leadership role), and VP of Committees (we will miss the enthusiastic leadership of our own Jenn McMahon who has stayed true to CAPED even as she had to move out of state, but welcome others to apply for this critical position). Please consider these opportunities. No single position is an “only” and alone. We work as a team and support each other. You will be part of the family and get the guidance you need. Our Executive Board meets two times per year (usually at the proposed convention site and at the convention, and our Officers’ Council meets four times a year (which might be as conference calls due to busy schedules of the members), usually at the convention (October), sometime in the winter (January?), spring (March?) and late summer (August?).

Here is a brief overview of what CAPED has done so far this year:
Advocated with EOPS to have the Academic Senate re-consider their resolution that would have taken the minimum qualifications of EOPS and DSPS Directors out of Title 5 and only been listed in the Academic Disciplines. We won that delay.

Participated in the FACC Lobby training and met with the Chancellor’s Office new legislative staff.

Supported APIDC (Asians and Pacific Islanders with Disabilities of California)

Conducted the Mentoring program, which included numerous trainings statewide

Provided representation on various state (and other) committees including the Regional Coordinators, the CCCCO Accessibility Standard Task Force, AHEAD conference and as an AHEAD affiliate, Assistive Technology endeavors statewide.

Provided presentations to various entities including the Statewide Disability Advisory Council (state agencies), the CCCCO New DSPS Directors’ Training

Continued improvements to our website

Planning for the annual convention at Huntington Beach and preparing for the 2018 convention to be held in Burlingame

Planning the Spring Regional Workshop

There have also been numerous CIG trainings and meetings that I have not listed.

I look forward to seeing all of you at our annual convention, to be held at the fabulous Huntington Beach Hyatt Regency Resort and Spa. If you haven’t already registered, here is the link for our online registration (so easy this year!! Thanks to the efforts of Jenny Nominni and Kim Letendre, as well as Mark Matsui and Armand Santos).